Notes-Class 8-Geography-Chapter-7-Population-Maharashtra Board

Population –An important resource  :

• Population, like other resources, is important in the overall development of a region or country.
• When studying the population of a specific region, various factors such as population growth, population distribution, population density, and population structure must be considered.
• The population of a country influences its economic, social, and cultural development.
• The quality of a country's population is more important than its quantity in terms of overall development.

Population growth

Population of any region constantly keeps changing due to the following factors :

• Birth rate : The number of live births per one thousand people in a year shows the birth rate.
• Death rate : The number of deaths per one thousand people in a year, shows the death rate.
• Life Expectancy : The average lifespan of an individual expected in an area at the time of birth.
• Migration : The movement of an individual or a group out of an area or into an area is called migration. When people move into a region from outside, for residence, it is called in migration and when people move out of a region for residential purpose it is called out-migration.

All the above factors affect the population growth. The difference between the birth rate and the death rate is clearly responsible for the natural changes in population.

• The uncontrolled growth of population puts heavy pressure on the natural and man-made resources of a particular region.
• The controlled growth of population leads to the availability of natural and man-made resources in the right proportion.
• The controlled growth of population is one of the indicators of the development of a region.

Distribution of population :

Physical, economic, political and social factors affect the distribution of population.

• Favourable factors : Low altitude, plenty of natural resources, urbanisation, political stability, suitable climatic conditions, etc. are favourable factors responsible for the dense distribution of population.
• Unfavourable factors : Mountainous regions, scarcity of natural resources, limited development of agriculture and industries, wars, political instability, adverse climatic conditions, etc. are unfavourable factors responsible for the sparse distribution of population.
• Migration leads to change in population of a particular region. Migration leads to change in the total volume and the structure of population.

Density of Population :

The ratio of the population of a country to its area is population density.

• Density of population =
• If a particular region has comparatively less area and comparatively more population, it has high density of population.
• If a particular region has comparatively more area and comparatively less population, it has low density of population.

Structure of Population :

Population can be subdivided into various categories. The main categ0ries/ structures of population are as follows :

(i) Sex ratio / structure :

• Sub division of population on the basis of gender.
• Sex ratio is number of females per thousand males.
• If the number of females per thousand males is less, the sex ratio is considered to be low.
• If the number of females per thousand males is more, the sex ratio is considered to be high.
• Out-migration of males leads to high sex ratio in a region from Where males have out-migrated.
• Less female birth rate leads to low sex ratio.

(ii) Age structure :

• Sub division of population as per age groups.
• Helpful in knowing proportion of active and dependent population.
• Population between the ages 16 and 59 is considered as productive population.
• People below 15 years of age and above 60 years of age are considered dependent population.
• The study of age structure helps government in planning various economic, social, educational, medical, etc. schemes for the overall development of country.
• The study of age structure helps to know the speed of economic growth. Thus, the study of age structure is important.

(iii) Occupational structure :

• Sub division of population on the basis of dependency and workability.
• Dependent population as well as unemployed people from productive age group are considered as non-working.
• High proportion of Working population makes it industrious.

(iv) Rural — Urban structure :

• Sub division of population on the basis of area of residence, i.e. into rural and urban areas.
• People in rural areas are mostly involved in primary occupations.
• People in urban areas are mostly involved in secondary and tertiary occupations.

(v) Literacy structure :

• Sub division of population on the basis of capability of reading and writing.
• People above the age of seven and are unable to read and write are considered illiterate.
• High literacy rate is an indicator of social and economic development of society.
• The country with low literacy rate, faces many obstacles in its economic, social and cultural growth and development.
• Literacy rate is related to quality of life, the opportunities available and freedom. Thus, literacy is directly related to development.

 Migration :

The movement of an individual or a group from one place to another is termed as migration.

The various types of migration are as follows :

• In-migration : In-migration is migration of people in a particular region from outside regions.
• Out-migration : Out-migration is migration of people from a particular region to outside regions.
• Short term migration: Short term migration is migration of people on a temporary basis. For example, migration due to tourism or natural disaster or education is a short term migration.
• Long term migration : Long term migration is migration of people on a permanent basis. For example, migration due to transfer of service or marriage or war and partition is a long term migration.

Effects of migration :

• Out-migration leads to fall in population of a region from where people have migrated outside. This in turn leads to shortage of manpower in a region from where out-migration has occurred.
• In-migration leads to increase in population of a region in which people from outside regions have migrated. This in turn, puts a pressure on public amenities and infrastructure of a region in which people have migrated.
• Migration leads to redistribution of population.
• Migration also leads to a change in the structure of population in a particular region.

Population – A Resource

• Population as a resource is important for the economic, social and cultural development of any country.
• Rather than population numbers, it is the quality of population which is important.
• Along with the percentage of literacy, sex ratio and age groups, health, educational levels etc. are considered while thinking of population as a resource.
• The supply of skilled or unskilled labour depends on the quality of population.

Human Development Index :

• Mahbub Ul Haq and Amartya Sen put forth the concept of Human Development
• Index in the decade of 1980 and 1990.
• Economic, health and education parameters are considered while calculating Human Development Index.
• Developed countries’ Human Development Index value is close to 1.
• On the other hand, underdeveloped countries’ Human Development Index value is close to 0 (zero).

Density of population in Maharashtra :

• The density of population is found to be high in the western districts of
• The density of population is found to be low in the eastern districts of Maharashtra.
• Due to higher level of industrialization and urbanization, the high density of population is found in the districts of Mumbai City, Mumbai Suburban district, Thane, Pune and Nagpur.
• Nashik, Ahmadnagar, Aurangabad, etc. districts have moderate density of population.
• The districts having rain-shadow areas as well as extreme eastern districts having dense forest areas have low density of population.